Remove your license plate bracket first if you have one. It's ugly anyways, worth the risk of getting a ticket IMO. I've since plugged the unsightly holes in the bumper with plugs from O'Reilly for $2.48. Perfect black color match too

Woo I knew there would be a nicer method than balloons. I'm guessing for the side ones you just covered your bumpers properly and shoved some paper or something else behind them?

I have a 06 and it has that horizontal piece, better remove the bumper if you want that piece off for spraying, if you pull on it, the clips will break and if it's anything like mine, the left and right mesh will not even come off the bumper from behind till the horizontal bars are removed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mase

What about for sedans, there's a protruding silver horizontal thing across the middle of the grilles... did you guys paint that?

Guys it takes like 15 min to remove the bumper and take the grills out. I just unbolted mine and set it on the ground. I did not have to unplug anything. Then you can paint your grills front and back and not worry about the over spray. Just an FYI

Remove your license plate bracket first if you have one. It's ugly anyways, worth the risk of getting a ticket IMO. I've since plugged the unsightly holes in the bumper with plugs from O'Reilly for $2.48. Perfect black color match too

Just did this and found the PERFECT TOOL to use. I used a Paint Can Key which has a small bent edge on one end. Perfect for getting the tabs off and more importantly for re-inserting the tabs while putting it back on!

Damn I tried to pop out the lower grill today and snapped part of it and had to super glue the little pieces together. Ended up just spraying the parts near the fog lights and using a paint brush for the middle.

I just pulled the center grill out. I've seen some posts saying that its really hard, but I just pushed the grill in with a flat head screw driver on each point where it clips and it came right it. Pull it out at an angle.

When I finished painting and it was dry, i set it back in, in front of each clipping point and used and L key (torx key) to pull it back in to each of the clips that lock it in to place. I put the small side in and turned it so that the L key hooks around the back of the grill and pull right next to each section where the grill clips in.

I have an 08 e92 Xi if that makes any difference. This worked for and it came out great.

Did this yesterday. Didn't turn out that bad at all. If I were to do it again, I would remove the front bumper and unclip the grills from behind. That way, I wouldn't have to prep the tape and give my car a BJ... lol